Dean of Graduate Studies and Research Named at IUP

Mack will assume his duties as graduate dean on July 1. He comes to IUP from Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Ga., where he serves as dean of Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies.

“I am impressed by Dr. Mack’s extensive background as a teacher-scholar and also as a graduate dean at Georgia Southern University,” Dr. Tony Atwater, IUP president, said. “The filling of this position with a permanent appointment will promote our on-going efforts to advance graduate programs and strengthen our doctoral research mission.”

Dr. David Myers, IUP professor of Criminology, has served as interim dean since June 2008.

“During this time, Dr. Myers has done a superb job in advancing the mission of the graduate school, including the creation and launching of three new doctoral programs,” IUP provost and vice president for Academic Affairs Dr. Gerald Intemann said.

“Working closely with the Research Institute, he has led efforts to foster greater support of faculty and student research and external grant writing, and we thank him for his service. This summer, Dr. Myers will return to teaching and research as a professor in the department of Criminology.”

Mack has served in his current role at Georgia Southern University for the past two years. Previous to that position, he worked at Virginia Tech University, serving for three years as associate dean for information technology and distance education in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He also worked for four years as director and assistant dean for information technology, and nine years as head of the department of entomology.

“Indiana University of Pennsylvania is an outstanding institution,” Mack said. “It is an honor for me to be a dean at such an institution, and I look forward to working in partnership with the faculty, staff, administrators, and graduate students of the university."

Mack began his faculty career at Auburn University in 1981, and was promoted to the rank of full professor in the department of entomology in 1994.

He has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Colgate University and master’s and doctoral degrees from Penn State University. He also has completed training offered by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education on fundraising for graduate and professional schools, and the Harvard Business School Executive Education High Potentials Leadership Program. Myers also is the recipient of two national teaching awards

He is the author of five books or book chapters and 246 refereed publications. He has been the recipient or corecipient of external grants in teaching and research totaling $6.3 million from such federal agencies as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

In his current role at Georgia Southern University, Mack led the graduate college in crafting a new vision and strategic plan for graduate education that increased the quality of graduate programs, increased enrollment in Fall 2008 by 14 percent over the previous year, and identified programs for strategic investment.